How Sage Sohier’s ‘Passing Time’ Captures 1980s Intimacy and Connection Through Unplanned Moments.
Welcome to this edition of [book spotlight]. Today, we uncover the layers of 'Passing Time,' by Sage Sohier (published by Nazraeli Press). We'd love to read your comments below about these insights and ideas behind the artist's work.
Photographs are time machines, and Sage Sohier’s Passing Time takes you straight to the heart of 1980s intimacy.
This collection of rediscovered images captures a slower, more sensual pace of life, where unplanned moments and spontaneous connections thrived. Drawn from Sohier’s archive of previously unprinted work, these photographs offer a window into a pre-digital world that feels refreshingly authentic and relatable today.
Acclaimed as one of the “Best Photobooks of 2023” by Vanity Fair and other luminaries, Passing Time has earned praise for its masterful storytelling and emotional resonance. If you want to revisit a time of meaningful connections and simple joys, Passing Time will transport you there with every page.
Photographs can take us back in time, and Sage Sohier’s Passing Time brings us to the heart of life in the 1980s.
When Sage revisited her archives during the pandemic, she discovered forgotten images that felt more relevant and meaningful than ever before.
These photos show a slower, more intimate way of living, filled with unplanned moments and genuine connections. Life then wasn’t about screens or constant distractions—it was about being present. That timeless beauty is what Passing Time captures so well, and it’s why it has earned praise as one of the best photobooks of 2023.
Now, let’s explore what makes this collection so special.
Passing Time (2023), published by Nazraeli Press, is Sage Sohier’s exploration of everyday life during the pre-digital era of the 1980s. The book revisits her archive of photographs from 1979 to 1985, uncovering unprinted images that celebrate the relaxed sensuality and spontaneous connections of the time. These images capture a world where time moved slower, where neighbors congregated in their yards, and where life unfolded in unplanned, serendipitous ways—a striking contrast to today’s hyperconnected, fast-paced culture.
The book has received widespread acclaim, named one of the “Best Books at Paris Photo Week 2023” by Vanity Fair and included in multiple “Best Photobooks of 2023” lists by Alex Webb, Rebecca Norris Webb, and Ed Templeton. Through its intimate portraits and masterful compositions, Passing Time offers viewers a nostalgic lens through which to reflect on the timeless beauty of human interaction and the universal yearning for a slower, more grounded way of life. (Amazon, Setanta Book Store)
Rediscovering the Archive: During the isolation of the pandemic, you revisited your archive of images from the 1980s and discovered photographs that you had never printed before. Can you share the process of rediscovering these images and what drew you to select them for inclusion in “Passing Time”?
I went back through my work prints and contact sheets, and was surprised by how many pictures that I had skipped printing back then now looked interesting to me. I shot so much back then that I had to be quite selective about what I printed or I would have spent all my time in the darkroom. And I had since torn up a lot of 80s work prints (trying to make room for newer work), and many of those pictures also looked worth scanning and reprinting.
Sensuality and Timelessness: In the introduction to “Passing Time,” you mention noticing a relaxed sensuality in many of the pictures from the 1980s. How do you feel this sense of sensuality and the pace of life captured in these images resonate with contemporary audiences, especially in the context of the pandemic?
I think that there’s a great nostalgia for a slower-paced life among young people, despite the fact that no one really wants to give up their phones, social media, or the fast pace of life. But people yearn for the idea of un-planned time and fewer obligations.
Environmental Portraits: “Passing Time” features environmental portraits captured during the pre-digital era. What draws you to this style of portraiture, and how do you approach capturing the essence of individuals within the context of their surroundings?
I started photographing in the 1970s and was very influenced by my teacher, Tod Papageorge, and by other photographers who were becoming prominent then: Diane Arbus, Garry Winogrand, and Lee Freidlander tended to use wide-angle lenses. In the 70s, a book called “Interior America” by the photographer Chauncey Hare came out, with very wide-angle pictures of people in rooms, and it fascinated me how much the rooms told about the people. I wanted to make photographs that were psychologically acute (like Arbus) but that included more of peoples’ surroundings.
Photographic Process: Can you walk us through your process of selecting, printing, and sequencing the images for “Passing Time”? How do you balance the desire to preserve the authenticity of the original negatives with the creative decisions involved in presenting them in book form?
Going back through one’s archive and looking at work is actually a lot easier than printing work right after you make it. You have a healthy distance from it, and you see what’s there rather than what you hoped was there. You also have the advantage of historical perspective, and you change as you age and find different things interesting. I am old-school when I work on book sequencing: I lay prints out on my bed and on the floor and keep re-arranging them until I’m satisfied. Then I make a PDF and a few more changes. Then I order a blurb book and make more changes.
Artistic Evolution: With “Passing Time” being your eighth monograph, how do you feel your photographic style and approach have evolved since your earlier works? Are there any consistent themes or motifs that you find yourself returning to throughout your body of work?
I think that I’ve always been interested in people’s relationships and interactions with each other, and I’ve always been interested in the themes of obsession, perfection, and how people present themselves to the camera.
Impact of the Pandemic: How has the experience of isolation during the pandemic influenced your perspective on your own work and the act of photographing everyday life? Do you feel that it has affected your creative process or thematic interests in any significant ways?
It had a big impact. I didn’t feel comfortable photographing people (even from a distance) during the first couple of years of the pandemic. Since I always ask permission when I photograph, there’s no way to avoid getting up close to people, and it seemed way too aggressive at that time. So I spent a few years photographing on a pond in New Hampshire from a canoe. I consider them my first successful landscape pictures, and they were very satisfying to make. Also, it was freeing not to have to send anyone pictures of themselves!
Now that I’ve started photographing people again, I’m very excited by it! It almost seems like something new I’ve discovered, and I love being able to interact with people again.
Teaching and Commissioned Work: You have taught photography at several prestigious institutions and undertaken commissioned projects for various organizations. How do these experiences inform and intersect with your personal photographic projects, such as “Passing Time”?
The commissioned work that I’ve done is very similar to my personal projects because I’ve usually been hired based on my own previous work. Teaching has always been very stimulating. It’s wonderful when you’re able to share some of your passion with others, and students are great experimenters and open your eyes to different ways of doing things.
Legacy and Influence: With your work being held in prestigious collections and exhibited in renowned institutions, what do you hope your legacy will be as a photographer? How do you see your images contributing to the broader conversation about photography as an art form, both now and in the future?
It’s very hard to say. I honestly feel that when people look at my work in the future it will have more sociological interest than anything else. Even now, looking back at my 80s work, I can see how much the world has changed and how I managed to capture some essence of life back then. I’m sure that documentary-style work will be especially interesting the more that A.I. is used to generate photographs. There will probably be a certain disbelief that these crazy photographers years ago spent so much time and energy trying to capture “real” moments.
To discover more about this intriguing body of work and how you can acquire your own copy, you can find and purchase the book here. (Amazon, Setanta Book Store)
Sage Sohier
Sage Sohier is an acclaimed American photographer celebrated for her evocative portraits that explore human connection, intimacy, and the interplay between people and their environments. Over the course of her distinguished career, she has published eight monographs, including Passing Time (2023), Peaceable Kingdom (2021), and Witness to Beauty (2017). Her work has been exhibited at prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Art Institute of Chicago, and is held in the collections of renowned institutions like the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Sohier’s photographs are deeply rooted in documentary traditions, capturing unguarded moments of authenticity. Her images reveal subtle, often overlooked details that reflect universal human experiences, such as the quiet beauty of daily life, the complexity of relationships, and the evolving nature of societal norms. Her innovative approach, honed since the 1970s, has been recognized with numerous fellowships, including from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. (Instagram, Website)
More photography books?
We'd love to read your comments below, sharing your thoughts and insights on the artist's work. Looking forward to welcoming you back for our next [book spotlight]. See you then!
